Friday, April 23, 2010

PCO.....WHAT?

So, I was diagnosed with this mysterious thing called PCOS when I was 18. Lucky or not, I had a very progressive dermatologist, who looked at my mom and said, " I think that it would be good to take Heather to the gynecologist". PCOS is a sticky syndrome, doctors dont totally understand it and there are various symptoms that somehow are supposed to fit under these four little letters. Because I look at things from an energetic and spiritual perspective now...this is how I describe PCOS....PCOS seems to hit women who could be described as perfectionists, or occasionally Type A personalities. Fast approaching 40, I now feel like I am coming into my own, beating to my own drum, dancing to my own rhythm......not someone elses...not waiting to be picked, not doing things to please others instead of myself. As I do this, and eat a macrobiotic diet..I am filled with more peace than ever before...weight comes off, I feel more even and calm, my symptoms from PCOS lessen...start to drop away.
I cringe at labels like PCOS because I remember feeling very frightened and embarrassed by all of my symptoms. I remember a male doctor slapping me on the back saying, " Well at least you dont have that fat pack that most people get with PCOS". And my favorite was my first OBGYN, who happened to be a male doctor, as I was laying in a compromising position saying, "Well, your an attractive girl". I share these experiences only in that I would not want any of you to stop moving forward in your healing processes with diet and self. These are the types of comments that would make some people crawl into a hole (and rightly so, just dont stay there)!! Although I fully support western medicine for emergency situations, most MD's have less than ten hours of dietary training in their schooling. Many doctors tell their PCOS patients to eat a low carb high protein diet. Big Mistake!!!!!!! I will tell you that all the low carb high protein eating and exercise, would not bring me to the size, health and well-being that I embody today. When I am feeling bolder perhaps I will post photos!(:
While most of the world consumes rice (a complex carbohydrate), none of them struggle with the obesity that this nation struggles with. I am forever grateful, everyday, for my decision to become macrobiotic....what a blessing...I can say with all my being that it was the best decision for this mysterious "syndrome".
Health and Happiness!

2 comments:

I am going to talk with my doctor in May when I go. I definitely want to do this macrobiotic lifestyle. I'm not the 'typical' PCOS-er, but I want to do something to make sure that it doesn't develop into something where I have to take pills or shots for the rest of my life. I will only be 28 this years, so that would be a long time on it. Plus, I want to start the macro lifestyle before I get pregnant, so when my husband and I have kids, we are already healthy individuals. Does your husband do the macro lifestyle? My husband is transitioning into just vegetarian, so I'm wondering how hard it will be to come up with meals for the both of us.

I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 22 and they told my I needed to do the high protein thing. At the time I was a vegetarian but felt so terrible all the time that I did what the doc recommended. However, it just made all my symptoms worse. In the past two years my husband and I have been trying to get pregnant with no success and I truly feel a huge reason for it is the high protein diet I was on. In January went back to a vegetarian diet, and in March decided to become vegan. I have not felt this good in years. I go see my gyno in a month & I'm hoping for some good news/improvement in my numbers. It's so encouraging to see your success! Thank you so much for sharing.